


Neelix Remembers

by Kumari (ten_dr_rose)



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-19
Updated: 2015-09-19
Packaged: 2018-04-21 11:57:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4828313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ten_dr_rose/pseuds/Kumari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>We learn how Neelix and Kes meet, prior to "The Caretaker".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neelix Remembers

Captain Kathryn Janeway wandered into the dining room fairly late one evening, fully expecting to find it empty.

As she picked over the remains of the evening meal she noticed a movement out of the corner of her eye. She leaned over the counter to get a better view. Neelix was huddled on the floor, arms wrapped around his legs and his head rested on his knees.

Neelix! What are you doing down there?" Janeway cried. She stepped around the bench into the kitchen.

"Oh! Captain Janeway!” Neelix was startled. He’d not heard her enter the dining room. “Um, I...It's nothing, really. I was just sitting here, thinking…"

Janeway squatted beside him and laid her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure you were.” She smiled at him. “Would you like to talk about it? I have some time to spare.” She held out her hand to him. “Why don't you come over to the table. I'll get a cup of coffee. What would you like?"

Neelix looked up at her. He hesitated a moment before taking her hand. He rose to his feet. "I'll get myself an ixle juice."

They poured their respective beverages and moved over to a table.

They quietly sipped at their drinks. Janeway finally broke the silence. "Is there anything I can do to help you, Neelix?"

Neelix looked up at her and shook his head. "Captain, you don't want to know about my problems. You have enough responsibilities of your own, running this ship."

Janeway looked him squarely in the eye as she replied, "I have many responsibilities, all equally important to me. You are one of them. I'm willing to lend an ear to a member of my crew. Please tell me. Talking always lightens a burden. Let me help."

Neelix gathered his thoughts before heaving a big sigh.

"It's Kes. I miss her. I miss her company, her closeness…and her love."

Janeway's expression softened. "I thought as much. Losing someone so close to you always hurts." A wistful look touched her eyes. "Believe it or not, you will get over it. You'll never forget, but the hurt does lessen over time. I know. The circumstances between your loss and mine may be very different, but the feeling in our hearts are just the same."

Neelix looked at her, slightly puzzled, until he realised she was referring to her partner, left 70,000 light years away. Yes, he believed she really did understand.

He took a deep breath. "Did I ever tell you how I met Kes?"

Janeway shook her head. "No. Tell me."

"This might take a while..."

"I'm in no hurry."

"Well... I had heard of some exciting new trade prospects in a sector of space which I hadn't previously visited. I decided to try my luck...."

*****

He had been several days into his journey when he encountered a most unusual phenomenon. Balls of concentrated energy appeared to be discharging from an artificial construct suspended in space. Curious, he studied the regular energy bursts and found they were directed toward a nearby planet. A single life sign within the array showed up on his scanners, but despite frequent attempts to make contact with the occupant, he was unsuccessful.

Curiosity piqued, he traced the energy bursts to their destination. Along the way he came upon a number of derelict ships. Some were badly damaged. Debris drifted about.

Ever on the look-out for tradable goods, he boarded a ship that was still intact. He found it rather eerie walking through the deserted corridors. More than once he found himself looking over his shoulder at some imagined presence. He wondered why this ship, along with all the others, had been abandoned in this place. Nevertheless, he never turned down an opportunity to take advantage of salvageable material. It was his life; it was how he survived. The ships were full of many useful items suitable to trade. He recovered various articles that he knew were in demand on worlds that he regularly visited. He boarded another ship. It had already been partially stripped; other opportunists had been there before him. Soon, without much in the way of useful gear left to salvage, he abandoned this venture to return to his ship. He would come back later…perhaps.

He began his approach to the planet. It was most curious - barren, with no oceans or forests. Further investigation showed there was no water, either on the surface of the planet or in its atmosphere. Despite these unlikely conditions, there were two pockets of life located fairly closely together in one area of the planet. The smaller area was situated within an extinct volcano and the larger populated area lay beside an old, long-dried out river-bed.

Neelix landed a short distance from the ruins of an ancient city. Newer, prefabricated buildings had been set down adjacent to the old, broken down walls. Crates and containers of various shapes and sizes were stacked haphazardly against them. As he exited his ship, his senses were immediately assailed by the boom and vibration of exploding balls of energy impacting the surface in the distance.

The moment the first Kazon ran into view, he regretted his decision to land. One manoeuvred very carefully around the Kazon. They were a highly distrustful and unpredictable race.

He was immediately escorted into the city where he was brought before Jabin, the group's Maje.

Neelix walked confidently towards the Maje, "Greetings. My name is Neelix. I was just passing through the area when I noticed there were inhabitants on this lonely planet. I thought I'd make myself known to them and offer my services as a merchant of goods of fine quality."

Jabin turned and dismissively waved Neelix away. "We need nothing from you." Then he paused thoughtfully, looking sideways at him. "Except water. Do you have water?"

"Er, no. I'm sorry, I have just enough to keep myself going. But I have a large range of goods that may be of use to you... If you'd just come over to my ship, I can show you. I have computer parts and various types of machinery. I even have exotic fabrics and exquisite jewellery from a hundred different planets, which your ladies might appreciate..." Jabin pinned him with a glare. 

This was not going well. He felt like a darx beetle that had been turned on its back, legs flailing to right itself as a predator moved in for the kill. "But of course, if there's nothing that is of interest to you, I’ll just..." He gestured towards his ship and let his words trail away, his mouth gone dry.

"We need only water." Jabin glanced at his people listening avidly, hungry for anything new. They had few diversions around here... "But perhaps I will see what you have to offer." He signalled to some of his men. "Come." 

Neelix drew in a deep breath, not quite believing he’d escaped quite so easily.

They made their way to Neelix's ship. He produced his wares and bartering began. Jabin drove a hard bargain, but eventually the exchange was quite successful. Once business had been completed, he felt confident enough to request a brief visit to the ruins. He had always had a fascination for ancient cities. (Not to mention the fact that he hadn't had the opportunity to stretch his legs on solid ground for some time.) He was permitted to stay, provided he supplied his own water.

Neelix wandered through the ancient city. The sandblasted walls gave the appearance of having been there for thousands of years, though appearances were often deceptive. He wondered who had lived here so long ago, and what catastrophe had caused the destruction of their civilization.

While in the course of his exploration, Neelix entered a partly enclosed courtyard. He saw a young woman sitting against a wall partly shaded from the mid-afternoon sun. Her arms were wrapped around her legs and her head rested on her knees. A feeling of deep sadness seemed to wrap around him. Neelix frowned. Could it be coming from the woman? He'd had contact with a few races that could project their emotions. His natural sense of compassion turned him in her direction.

She looked up as he approached. At closer quarters he found she was small and delicate; definitely not Kazon. Her short, blonde hair was dishevelled and matted with blood that came from a cut below a swollen eye. A similar cut split her lower lip. Despite her injuries, Neelix decided she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Large, round, blue eyes stared out of a finely boned face. He squatted beside her.

"Oh, my!" Neelix exclaimed softly. "What have they done to you?"

The young woman looked at him with large, anxious eyes. She shrank away from him.

Neelix was overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness that seemed to emanate from her. An image of extreme thirst formed in his mind.

"Water. You need water." He patted his jacket and frowned. He had used all his water and had been about to return to his ship to replenish his supply. It would take too long to go back and get some. The woman needed water right away. "Now, where do they keep their water?" He wondered quietly to himself as he started to turn away.

With a whimpering cry, she grabbed hold of his arm, forcing him to look at her. "Nn nn...," she pleaded, shaking her head. Fear emanated from her entire being.

Neelix patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll be all right. Now, I'm sure I saw a water container over that way." He moved away, gesturing vaguely over his shoulder. "I'll be back soon." Neelix felt a measure of relief when he left the courtyard. She was beginning to make him feel extremely anxious.

He casually wandered off through one of the exits in the courtyard. He walked among the buildings, ostensibly admiring the architecture, until he found a particular area he remembered passing through earlier. He surveyed the various containers stacked by the wall until he found the water tank. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he removed a small flask from a pocket inside his voluminous jacket and quickly filled it from the tank. Replacing it in its hiding place, he calmly strolled back to the courtyard via a different route.

Neelix squatted beside the woman, his body screening her from sight of any Kazon that may be nearby. He produced the flask and handed it to her. "Here, drink this." Her startled look changed to gratitude as she raised the flask to her lips and drank thirstily.

She smiled her thanks to him. She looked even more beautiful when she smiled.

"Why have you been treated in this way?" he asked. He knew the Kazon were not noted for their gentleness, but he wondered what offence this woman had committed to be beaten this way.

A multitude of impressions and emotions washed over him in rapid succession. Darkness, blinding light, heat. Hope, fear, pain and finally, despair.

Neelix was amazed at the intensity of the feelings the woman projected. He felt an overwhelming desire to protect her; to put his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be all right.

Neelix shook himself out of the depression that was beginning to settle over him. He found this manner of communication to be quite disturbing. Perhaps if he introduced himself...

He pointed toward his chest. "My name is Neelix. What's yours?"

The woman stared at him uncomprehendingly, then suddenly realised he was introducing himself. "Kes," she replied in a low voice.

"Kes. What a beautiful name! I am delighted to meet you." As was his custom, Neelix opened his arms wide and enfolded her in a bear hug.

Kes was momentarily startled by his mode of greeting, but returned the hug in the spirit it was offered.

Neelix was surprised by a warm feeling of familiarity, of somehow being home - he wasn't quite sure what it was - that came over him. It just felt right to be holding this woman in his arms.

Suddenly, he heard a Kazon shout. "The Talaxian! Where's the Talaxian?" More voices joined in.

Now what? Neelix suddenly wished he'd followed his first instinct when he’d seen the Kazon – run.

He didn’t want to be found with Kes. She had been mistreated enough already. She didn't need to suffer any further by becoming involved in any of his problems, whatever they may be.

Neelix took Kes by the shoulders and sat her down. "Stay here," he instructed and quickly moved through one of the courtyard's many gateways in the opposite direction to the commotion. Looking both ways, he rapidly put several buildings between him and his new friend.

He knew there would be no point trying to get to his ship. There would be Kazon guarding it, without a doubt. No, it would be best to face up to whatever it was they wanted him for. They would respect him more if he faced up to the consequences of his actions (whatever they were). He steadied himself a few moments before calmly walking toward a knot of Kazon. Within moments, he was surrounded. "You were looking for me?"

He was seized and marched into a building and brought before a Kazon he hadn't seen before. "I protest!" Neelix struggled against his captors. "I've done nothing wrong. Let me go!"

"Where did you get this?" The Kazon brandished a piece of computer equipment in front of his face.

"I salvaged it from one of the derelict ships in this system." Neelix pointed towards the sky. "I claimed salvage rights as is customary in this situation."

"Any abandoned ships in this sector belong to us! You were stealing from us and then selling it back to us at a profit!"

"No, no! I'm no thief! I had no idea anyone had claimed this area. There were no beacons posted to warn anyone away." Neelix pointed toward the offending item. "Believe me, if I had known this was yours I wouldn't have touched it! I apologise if I've broken any of your laws. It was purely out of ignorance. I'll return everything I traded and leave." It was easier to follow the path of least resistance. He valued his skin too much.

"It's not that easy. The Maje made the transaction so he will have to settle this. You will stay here until he returns tomorrow. If it were up to me, I would have you shot immediately! We don't take kindly to thieves around here!"

Neelix knew there was no point arguing with the Kazon, so he said nothing more.

He was led down a passageway and shoved unceremoniously into a storeroom stacked with crates. A heavy dragging noise on the other side of the door suggested he wouldn't be leaving via that exit any time in the near future.

"Nice doing business with you!" He shouted. "And thank you for your hospitality! Such comfortable lodgings, too," he muttered as he glanced about the room. He sat on a crate and continued to survey his surroundings. Just how did he get himself into these situations? He shook his head and sighed. "Why didn't I just mind my own business and keep on going? No, I've got to poke my nose into what doesn't concern me. And of all people to upset, it had to be the Kazon! I should have learned my lesson by now, but no..." He continued to berate himself for several more minutes before finally lapsing into silence.

He sighed, then stood. "No point just sitting here. There must be some way out of this place." Before he had a chance to move, his sensitive ears picked up a faint sound. He quickly turned toward the noise. It was coming from the other side of the room. The fading light revealed very little.

"Who's there!"

A familiar feeling flowed over him.

"Kes?"

A slight figure emerged from the shadows. He moved to meet her. He held out his arms. "I'm very glad to see you, Kes." She stepped into his embrace. He held her tightly for a few moments.

"Are you all right now?" He stepped away and looked at her closely. "You certainly look a lot better than you did earlier."

He led her to the overturned crate. They sat down.

Neelix suddenly realised where she was. "What are you doing in here?" He looked at her anxiously. "Have they imprisoned you as well?"

After a slight pause, she replied haltingly. "Please talk slowly. I need to "see" the meaning of your words, then it will become easier for me to understand you." She paused, formulating her reply to his questions. "I am...all right. I have some food and water." She considered his second question. "No, I am not a prisoner in here."

"You certainly learn quickly. Only a short while ago you could only communicate by thought. Now you can speak Talaxian."

"Talaxian?"

"I am Talaxian." Neelix pointed to himself. "And they," he indicated toward the doorway, "are Kazon."

Understanding lit her eyes. "I am Ocampa. The Kazon have some kind of translation device, so I have no difficulty understanding them. The Ocampa are a telepathic race. I used my telepathy earlier; simply because that was the only way I could communicate at the time.

"Most of the labourers in the mines are of different races. I learned to communicate by studying their body language. Somehow I could also 'see' what they were saying to me in my mind, just like pictures. I've always had the ability to retain what I've learned without difficulty. I used the same technique with your language."

"Very ingenious."

"I often use this room to sleep. There is a sleeping mat and some rugs in the corner." She indicated towards the place from which she had emerged earlier.

Kes looked at Neelix curiously. "Why did they put you in here?"

"Just a little misunderstanding. The Maje will sort it out in the morning." He forced an air of confidence into his voice. "It's really nothing to worry about."

"When the alarm was raised, I was so afraid that they had discovered you had taken the water. The penalty is death. I thought I wouldn't see you again."

Neelix suddenly paled. Death! No wonder she had panicked when he said he would get her some water... He squeezed her shoulder. "They think I stole their property and was selling it back to them. I'm not so stupid as to try something like that. I'm sure the Maje will listen to reason when he returns."

Kes looked sceptical, but she didn't pursue the subject.

"Where do you come from?" Kes asked. "Please tell me about yourself. The more you speak, the easier it will be for me to communicate with you."

"There's not much to tell. I work on my own, trading goods with many people on many planets. I'm an explorer. I can repair broken machinery and I can cook... You've never tasted anything until you try my talagamachi!"

Kes looked confused. He paused a moment. "Sorry, I do run on a bit, don't I?" He repeated his description while attempting to simultaneously picture his culinary specialty in his mind.

Her face suddenly lit up, enlightened. "Yes, I understand now. It's a type of food!"

They both laughed.

She suddenly sobered. "Why did you come here? To this...planet? The Kazon are not friendly."

"You're telling me? I was following the path of those energy pulses. I found life signs on the planet so I thought I would make acquaintance with whoever was here. It's always useful to gather allies wherever you travel. I didn't realise they were Kazon until I landed. I should have gone straight on past." He looked into her eyes and took her hand. "But I wouldn't have found you if I had done that, would I...?" Whatever had made him say that?

"Thank you. Thank you again for the water you gave me this afternoon. They don't give me enough."

"You're entirely welcome." He paused a moment, before self-consciously letting go of her hand.

"Why do they treat you this way? Are you a slave?" He shuddered. The very idea was totally abhorrent to him.

"I suppose you could say that. I don't have the strength for heavy work in the mines. I was sent here to perform menial tasks for the overseers.

"It's becoming very difficult to cope. They give me just enough food and water to survive. I suppose slaves are expendable. I try to keep out of their way as much as I can. If they don't see me, they sometimes forget I'm around."

Neelix gently touched the side of her face. "How did this happen?"

Kes looked away. "One of them beat me because I was too slow to bring his food. He said I was useless and accused me of taking valuable food and water out of the mouths of the Kazon.

Neelix was horrified. He shook his head in consternation. "How did you get here - into this situation? Where did you come from?"

"My people live below the surface of this world. We are provided for by the Caretaker."

"The Caretaker? Who is this...Caretaker?"

"I don't know. No one has ever seen him. All I do know is that he supplies our people with energy, food and water. He's been doing it for longer than anyone can remember. Once, the Ocampa lived on the surface in cities like this across the planet. They were relocated underground by the Caretaker after some terrible disaster many generations ago."

Neelix now understood why those energy pulses were directed at this planet from that strange array. He had become so accustomed to the regular explosions that reverberated through the ground that he had almost forgotten about them. It also cleared up the mystery of who had once lived in this ruined city.

"He's been acting strangely lately," Kes remarked, her thoughts turning back to her recent past.

"Who?"

"The Caretaker. Over the last few months he's been sending aliens to us. They were all sick, and unfortunately, all of them have died." She looked sad. "One of my friends works at the central clinic. I saw some of the people when I visited her there not so long ago. It's very curious. Most have told tales of being abducted from very distant parts of the galaxy."

He now realised why there were so many deserted ships back there. An awful thought struck him. Perhaps the occupants suffered from some terrible disease - and he'd just been on some of those ships! "Um, did these aliens have infectious diseases?"

"No. They all displayed different symptoms. They were routinely quarantined and tested. It seems each of them was suffering from an allergic reaction of some type. We don't know anything else. The elders say it's the Caretaker's will that we make the rest of their lives comfortable, that we must do as he wishes."

Kes stood and began to pace back and forth. "That's one of the reasons why I left. No one is allowed to have an original thought back there! The people willingly let the Caretaker do everything for them. There's no progress. Nobody is encouraged to use their own initiative. It's so stifling." She sighed. "Over the years some of our more adventurous people have disappeared. They left to discover what's out there. I decided to follow them. There are old tunnels and passageways throughout the rock which lead to the surface. I wanted to see the sun." She sighed again. "I found it, but look where it got me! The Kazon found me wandering in the desert. I'm too afraid to go back. They might follow me." Tears glistened in her eyes. "I don't know what to do! I've always been too impulsive for my own good. It's always got me into trouble, but this time, I really went too far!"

Neelix slid a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I'll help you in any way I can. I promise I'll do my best to help get you out of this."

They sat quietly for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

Neelix broke the silence. "Do you remember the exact location you emerged?"

"Yes. Why?"

"We could go back there tonight. We can try to find the passageway where you came out."

Kes looked puzzled. "How would we get out? The Kazon have pushed something heavy against the other side of the door. Even if we did get out, we'd be caught."

"You don't know that. Let's have a look at that window." Neelix got up and walked over to a window on the other side of the room. It was old and was jammed shut. He felt inside his jacket and brought out a small, sharp instrument. He worried at the hinge for several minutes, then probed around the edges of the frame. He wondered idly how long the Kazon had occupied this place. He pushed against the window. It groaned as it moved for the first time in many years. He stopped, listening for any movement outside. Nothing. He pushed with all the strength he could muster until there was a large enough gap to climb through.

He surveyed the immediate area. There was no one in sight. He climbed out and quietly investigated a little further afield. He returned a few minutes later. "It's clear. They all seem to be around the other side." He held his hand out. Kes hesitated. "This might be the only opportunity you will have to get back home."

"We might be caught..."

"We'll just have to take that chance," he urged quietly. "If we can't find the way in, we can return to my ship before it gets light. Whatever happens, you won't have to come back here."

Kes took a deep breath and climbed out.

Neelix started toward the corner of the building, then stopped in confusion. "Um. Which way?" he whispered. Kes pointed toward a large rocky outcrop faintly outlined against the backdrop of stars in the distance.

They approached the corner of each building with caution. Soon they came to the edge of the city. Ahead was the vast expanse of desert that held few hiding places.

With a final scan of the area, they moved cautiously away from the ruins. Neelix had superior night vision, enabling him to easily negotiate obstacles in the dark. He desperately hoped the Kazon didn't possess the same visual acuity. They quietly put some distance between themselves and the city. The night was very cold so they moved quickly to keep themselves warm.

As they travelled, Kes described to Neelix how she had arrived at the surface. She explained that the Caretaker had placed a force field barrier between the surface and the Ocampa's subterranean home. Occasionally the field developed a malfunction, breaking down until a small gap appeared. Kes had climbed the ancient passageways only a few weeks before. The force field had degraded just enough to allow her to pass through. She’d found a narrow, twisting pathway winding through the rocks to the surface a little further along. She’d known that the possibility of finding the way out would be totally blocked off, so she had brought along a digging tool. Fortunately it had required little effort to break through. It could have been much more difficult.

She had had been walking through the desert toward the ruined Ocampa city when she was captured by the Kazon.

Neelix asked her why the Kazon hadn't found their way into the passageways.

"They have been looking for an entry for a long time. They know there is water down there. They demanded to know exactly where I had come from. I pretended to be confused. I took them to another place. Of course they couldn't find a way in. They became very angry and beat me, but I didn't say anything. I couldn't put my people in danger. The Ocampa are a gentle people. You know what the Kazon are like. They would destroy us."

Neelix gazed across at her admiringly. Kes was remarkable.

Within an hour they arrived at the outcrop. Their familiar shape was comforting to Kes; it promised home and safety. She found the entrance without much difficulty. She scrabbled around the rocks until she found the torch she had left behind. She took care to avoid shining the light anywhere near the entrance.

Kes led the way around the rocks and down into the passageway. Before long they could hear a continuous buzzing noise. Kes quickened her pace, excitement lighting her face. The force field was not far ahead. Nearly there!

They turned a corner to find the barrier sparkling across their path. They approached the force field. A narrow gap was visible in the field adjacent to the rocks.

As they carefully edged past, Neelix could feel the hairs on his body stand on end. Once past, he shivered. This was something he wouldn't want to do too often.

They continued down the passageway a short distance before coming to a sudden standstill. A rock fall blocked their path. Kes' excitement at the prospect of getting home vanished.

"No! This can't be possible! How could this have happened?! There was no sign of any weakness here before!" Kes cried, distraught. She flashed her torch back and forth across the mass of rocks and dirt. "There must be a way through here!" She began to pull rocks away. "Help me, Neelix. Please! I've got to get through!"

Neelix could see that they wouldn't be able to get through the wall of debris. It would be pointless to even start. He grasped her by the shoulders and pulled her away. "Come back Kes, it's too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt."

Kes struggled against him. "No!"

He shook her gently. "Calm down, Kes! Please!" He wrapped his arms around her as she sobbed into his shoulder. She was shaking uncontrollably. He led her to a nearby rock. "Come. Sit down."

"What am I going to do?" Kes whispered.

"Come back with me. We'll go to my ship. Perhaps we'll be able to find another way in somewhere else." He held her closely. "Don't give up so easily! There are always possibilities. Just rest a while here, and then we'll go back."

They sat quietly, Neelix providing his silent support. He was aware of the inner struggle that Kes was experiencing. He could feel her emotions tingling at the edge of his consciousness.

Kes finally seemed to have come to a decision. She sighed and relaxed a little. A few moments later she turned toward him.

"Thank you, Neelix for being here and for helping me." She looked him in the eyes. "I apologise for losing control. I don't know what came over me."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's perfectly understandable under the circumstances. You have every right to be upset."

"You are an extraordinary person, Neelix," she said, a new maturity suddenly evident in her voice. "You didn't have to do this for me. You've put your life at risk for a stranger."

"No, you are the extraordinary one."

Kes looked at him in confusion.

"You have been very brave in the face of what you have been through. You have great strength of character. Under the circumstances you have experienced recently, a lesser person would have crumbled. You look to be such a frail little thing, but I'm sure you could survive anywhere." Neelix stared at her in admiration.

"I helped you because..." He paused, and then went on in a rush. "Well, I couldn't just leave you with the Kazon! No person in their right mind would do that." He looked a little embarrassed to be caught saying such things.

"You are the most decent and caring man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." Kes kissed Neelix on the cheek and hugged him. He was overwhelmed by a feeling of gratitude...and something else.

Neelix turned toward her. Their faces were close and her breath felt soft on his cheek. As one, their lips came together. It was a brief, breathtaking experience.

He felt from her, surprise and curiosity.

She felt from him, surprise and delight.

"I shouldn't have done that!"

"I shouldn't have done that!"

Both spoke as one, and then laughed, breaking the sudden tension.

"We should be getting back."

Kes looked one last time at the barrier that kept her from her home. She turned away into the darkness, back to whatever fate awaited them. Her life had changed forever.

Once back at the surface, Neelix slipped the torch inside his jacket before they emerged into the desert. It could come in handy.

Their return journey was uneventful. They skirted the city with the intention of approaching his ship from the far side. However, a group of Kazon youths was gathered around it - more than Neelix could handle since he was unarmed. The closest thing to a weapon he had was the torch. A lot of good that would do them, he thought. Neelix was thankful the Kazon hadn't entered the ship. He had a coding system that barred unauthorised entry. However, anyone with an energy weapon at close quarters could gain entry without much difficulty. Fortunately, the youths didn't have access to such weaponry.

They waited a while in the vain hope the Kazon would leave. Eventually the cold forced them to return to their prison.

Neelix helped Kes through the window before climbing in. He pulled the window in as far as it would go. It was impossible to close completely. It would have to do.

He sat, looking despondent. "I'm sorry I let you down, Kes." He barely stifled a sigh.

Kes lay a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Neelix."

"I told you I'd get you back home, and failing that we'd escape in my ship. I could do neither." He rested his head in his hands. "Now who knows what will happen in the morning." He corrected himself. "In a few short hours."

"You're tired. You'll be able to think more clearly if you get some sleep."

"Sleep! How can I sleep at a time like this!"

"Come." Kes took his hand and led him to the bedding in the corner of the room.

"Lay down." Kes pushed him gently till he did so. "Close your eyes and relax." She knelt beside him and stroked his brow with feather-light fingertips. Gradually, his mind began to empty of thought and he felt the tension dissipate from his body. Within minutes he was asleep. Kes lay beside him, drawing a blanket over them both. She snuggled into his warmth.

Neelix awoke a couple of hours later with a start. He was momentarily confused. Where was he? Then he became aware that he was not alone. One arm was wrapped around a slight female body that had moulded itself against his. The other arm cradled a head. It all came back. Kes!

A moment later the rest of their situation came back to him.

What a mess they were in! He wouldn't - couldn't leave Kes here with the Kazon. He needed to devise an escape plan, taking her with him.

However, for the moment, he gave in to the warm, pleasant feeling of being close to Kes. He closed his eyes. It felt right. This is what had been missing from his life; a woman - a companion who would fill an aching gap in his lonely existence. He suddenly realised that he had deeper feelings for her than just friendship. That revelation shocked him. He had known her for less than a day! Flustered, he withdrew his hand and shifted away from her. He didn't quite know how to handle this.

Kes awoke and turned toward him, her eyes wide and inquiring. He realised he must have broadcast his feelings to her. He felt his face go hot. He began to stutter. "I...I'm sorry, Kes. I...I have no right feel this way about you. I don't know what came over me."

She smiled. "Don't apologise, Neelix. I feel great affection for you, too."

"You do?" Neelix stared at her.

"I feel I know you very well. You're kind and genuinely care about what happens to me." Kes leaned toward him and kissed his cheek. "An honest and honourable man I know I can trust."

Neelix looked a little embarrassed. "Well, I don't know if everyone that knew me would say that." 

Kes shot a puzzled look at him.

"Well, it's the nature of my business, you know."

"I'm not talking about business. I'm talking about you as a person. I have some talent for reading people. You're generous and compassionate." She smiled. "I can also feel you have very strong emotions."

Kes paused, concentrating. "There's something else. Locked away somewhere deep inside, is a terrible sadness."

Neelix frowned. How could she know?

"But most of all I feel you're very lonely and in need of companionship."

"It seems you know me better than I know myself."

His hand touched the side of her face. He kissed her cheek and held her close. It felt so good. His mind wandered. Yes, he felt a very deep attraction to her... But this wasn't the right time.

That thought brought his mind back to the situation at hand. Their future depended on what happened next.

He cleared his throat. "Well now, we had better decide what we do next. I have to admit I don't believe the Kazon will let me go. They usually have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later, so I'm probably lucky to have lasted this long. We need to get those Kazon away from my ship somehow. Perhaps we could create a diversion without bringing attention to ourselves." He moved over to the window. The sky wasn't quite as dark as it had been.

Kes joined him. "They've probably gone by now. I'll have a look. I know my way around through the ruins."

Neelix quietly walked over to the door and listened. Nothing. He returned to the window, pushing it open as quietly as he could.

Kes checked the area before she climbed out. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Be careful."

An interminable quarter hour later, Kes appeared across the lightening courtyard, beckoning to him.

Neelix carefully scanned the area before climbing out of the window to join her.

"I can't see anyone near your ship," Kes whispered. "If we move now, we should be able to get there without being seen."

They crept through several derelict buildings, slowly approaching the side closest to his ship. They stopped for a few moments in a hiding place that was still quite dark and protected from view.

"Well, this is it. Just a few hundred metres to freedom..." Suddenly a cry cut through the air. Neelix froze. One way or another, he knew he was in trouble. They'd either discovered he was missing, or that he had taken the water. Or both. They had to get away, now.

Neelix took hold of Kes' hand and ran the short distance to the last building that stood before the open stretch to the ship. Just as they reached the wall, Kes tripped on a piece of rubble buried under the sand, twisting her ankle. She stumbled around the corner, gasping with pain.

She sat on the sand, clutching her ankle. "You go on! Leave me here."

"I can't do that!" he exclaimed. "I won't leave you here with these monsters!"

Kes got to her feet. The pain wasn't too bad, but she knew she couldn't run. She would slow Neelix down. "You must. Please go. The Kazon will be spreading out looking for you. They'll know you'll be heading for your ship."

"But..." Neelix looked stricken.

"I'll be all right. They don't know I'm involved. I'll hide and make my way back. I'm expert at being unobtrusive."

Neelix hesitated, indecision etched into every line of his body.

"We haven't got time to argue!"

Neelix hugged her tight. Reluctantly, he released her. "I said I would rescue you." He gazed into her eyes, then kissed her on the cheek. "I will come back, I promise." He turned resolutely away.

Using the building as cover, he quickly headed toward his ship. He had a good head start on the Kazon before they saw him. Moving with surprising speed, he sprinted the last hundred metres to his ship, zigzagging to avoid being an easy target. Fortunately, the entrance was on the far side of the ship, allowing time to enter his code and dive through the opening door. He powered up his ship immediately and by the time his pursuers came close, rising heat from his ship's engines pushed them back.

He left the planet and quickly headed for the safety of the debris field. Within a short time he had arrived, ducking between derelict ships to avoid detection. Once shielded by a fairly large nondescript ship, he cut his engines, and lowered essential power to a minimum. In so doing, he became virtually invisible.

Before long, Neelix began to shiver. Without the ship's heating, he felt the cold biting into him. He rummaged through an old storage locker, using his borrowed low-powered torch to see what he was doing. He dragged out an ancient coat and put it on. He wrinkled his nose. The previous owner's odour clung tenaciously to the thick fur. He made a mental note to find a replacement on his next visit to a civilized planet. He waited in silence for several hours before he was convinced the Kazon hadn't pursued him into space.

Neelix was devastated by his loss. He had made a promise and he never broke a promise - at least, not one as important as this. He shuddered to think what would happen if he went back. Somehow, there had to be a way to rescue Kes. All he could think of were those compelling, big blue eyes in that innocent young face.

****

"After 'playing dead' for so long, I was suddenly startled by the hail on my communications panel. I considered ignoring it; I thought the Kazon were trying to trick me into revealing my position. Then I realised the voice patterns didn't have the characteristics of the Kazon. I cleared a space in front of the screen. The image of an attractive alien woman appeared before me.” He smiled briefly at the Captain. “And the rest, as they say, is history!

"Captain Janeway, if not for you, I would never have been able to save her. I really appreciate what you have done for both of us."

Captain Janeway patted his hand. "It was my pleasure, Neelix. Both of you have proved to be very valuable members of my crew. Thank you for telling me how you met Kes. I had wondered how you had become so close."

Neelix smiled. "You know, you're right. I do feel a little better for having talked about it. Thank you, Captain. Thank you. You always know the right thing to do."

“You’re welcome, Neelix.”

He stood and turned away, walking tall as he disappeared through the door.

Captain Janeway remained seated, staring into the distance and her past.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story that I wrote a VERY long time ago. It's the first time it's been published online. :)


End file.
